A resurgent Scotland will be without Jackie McNamara for the World Cup qualifiers against Belarus and Slovenia.The Wolves full-back has a knee injury, while goalkeeper Robert Douglas and midfielder Brian O'Neil also miss out.

Manager Walter Smith has called up young Celtic striker Shaun Maloney, Aberdeen goalkeeper Ryan Esson and Preston defender Callum Davidson.

Scotland take on Belarus at a sold-out Hampden Park on the 8th of October, and play in Slovenia four days later.

Hibs captain Gary Caldwell is back after missing the recent games against Italy and Norway with a punctured lung and broken ribs. West Ham defender Christian Dailly will be available again after being suspended for the win in Norway, but Everton forward James McFadden is banned for the Belarus fixture.

Davidson, who won his last cap three years ago, could fill in at left-back, with his club-mate Graham Alexander playing on the right of the defence.Smith could also switch Alexander to the left and play either Caldwell or Dailly on the right.Dailly has not been featuring regularly for West Ham and the same applies for Neil McCann at Southampton,Steven Thompson at Rangers, Steven Caldwell at Sunderland and Celtic's Gordon Marshall.

Walter Smith is fast becoming the renaissance man of Scottish football, and has at last given the Tartan Army some thing to cheer about.

Scotland squad: Esson (Aberdeen),Gordon (Hearts),Marshall (Celtic),
Alexander(Preston),Anderson (Aberdeen),G Caldwell (Hibernian),S Caldwell (Sunderland),Dailly (West Ham),Pressley (Hearts),Webster (Hearts),Weir (Everton),Davidson (Preston),Ferguson(Rangers) Fletcher (Man Utd),Hartley (Hearts),McCann (Southampton),McCulloch (Wigan),Murray (Rangers),Quashie (Southampton), Beattie (Celtic), McFadden (Everton), Maloney(Celtic),Miller (Wolves),O'Connor (Hibernian),Thompson (Rangers).

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